
Thu Jul 24 15:35:11 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and rewritten news article based on the text provided:
**Summary:**
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The ECI estimates over 61 lakh voters may be excluded from the new draft rolls, including deceased, migrated, and those who have not submitted necessary forms. Opposition parties are protesting the SIR, fearing disenfranchisement of eligible voters. The ECI defends the SIR as necessary to remove ineligible voters and maintain the integrity of the electoral process, while also providing political parties ample opportunity to verify the draft rolls and file claims or objections.
**News Article:**
**Bihar Electoral Roll Revision Sparks Controversy; Millions at Risk of Disenfranchisement**
**New Delhi, July 24, 2025** – A massive revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls is underway, potentially impacting millions of voters and triggering heated political debate. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is implementing a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, aimed at updating the voter list ahead of upcoming elections.
Preliminary data released by the ECI on Thursday indicates that over 6.1 million voters in Bihar may not be included in the new draft electoral rolls, slated for publication on August 1st. This figure includes approximately 700,000 individuals who have yet to submit their enumeration forms before tomorrow’s deadline. According to the ECI, the excluded voters also consist of over two million deceased electors, three million who have permanently migrated out of the State, and some who are untraceable or have enrolled in more than one place.
The revision comes as the ECI reports that 91.32% of the enumeration forms have been received. According to the ECI, the remaining are being digitized in conjuction with the BLO and BLA agents.
The announcement has ignited a firestorm of criticism from opposition parties, who accuse the ECI of attempting to disenfranchise eligible voters. Members of the INDIA bloc staged protests in Parliament, disrupting proceedings and demanding a halt to the SIR.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar defended the SIR, questioning whether the ECI should allow deceased or migrated individuals to remain on the voter list. He emphasized that removing ineligible voters is crucial for upholding the integrity of the electoral process, even asking whether or not political ideologies should supercede the constituion of India.
The ECI also stated that copies of the draft electoral rolls will be provided to all 12 major political parties in Bihar, and the draft will be available online.
Political parties have been given the opportunity to point out any errors to the ECI. The ECI also said that claims or objections regarding missing or incorrect names can be filed until September 1st.